June 2006 Basketball Wiretap

ESPN's Sportscenter is reporting that the Toronto Raptors will swap Charlie Villanueva to the Milwaukee Bucks for T.J. Ford and cash considerations.

Bucks General Manager Larry Harris has confirmed the deal, which was posted on the Bucks website.

?The hard part of any trade is having to give up something in return,? Harris said. ?T.J. is a talented, young athlete who gave his all to this organization for three years, both on and off the court. He was an inspiration to all of us when he found the will and strength to fight back from the neck injury he suffered during his rookie season. Many people thought he would never play basketball again, but he thrived in the face of adversity and now has the promise of a long NBA career ahead of him. We wish him much success in Toronto.?

The trade will give the Bucks a formidable frontcourt with last year's first overall selection Andrew Bogut and Villanueva, while the Raptors fill their biggest hole at point guard.

The Cavaliers and LeBron James may begin discussions on his contract extension as soon as July 1st pops its head, but the All-Star made a surprise appearance on Friday by showing up at the club's press conference to introduce their draft picks.

"It's good to see him -- anytime," coach Mike Brown said.

"We'll make a call and allow things to unfold," Danny Ferry said. "Feeling like we have to rush this is a mistake. The earliest he (James) can do anything is the 12th. Rushing it is not a necessity. That process starts tonight and carries on through. We're going to initiate things with them and go from there."

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Eric Williams and Justin Gray of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons have received NBA Summer League spots.

Williams, a big power forward, will receive his spot from the New Jersey Nets and Gray, a combo guard, will receive his spot from the Toronto Raptors.

"He's really happy about it," said Williams's agent Juan Davis. "It's the same money as a second-rounder, as long as he makes the team. Second round and undrafted get the same amount of money. He's going to a place where he's wanted and where he has a good chance to make the roster. He has family up in the New York and New Jersey area, and it's on the East Coast."

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has exercised its option on guard Keith McLeod?s contract for the 2006-07 season. Per club policy, terms of the contract are not disclosed.

In two seasons with the Jazz, the 6-2 guard out of Bowling Green has seen action in 119 games averaging 6.6 points and 3.3 assists in 22 minutes per game. He tallied a career high 22 points on December 26, 2005 against the Memphis Grizzlies and has dished out a career high 11 assists twice (December 31, 2004 vs.Sacramento and January 11, 2005 vs. Phoenix).

The debate roared behind the scenes, Armstrong or Simmons, Simmons or Armstrong, but inevitably, the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets landed both players in this year's NBA Draft.

With the 12 and 15 picks, the Hornets needed size and settled on Connecticut's Hilton Armstrong with the 12th pick, only to see the other player that they coveted, Cedric Simmons, drop to them at the 15th pick.

"We're about as happy as we could be right now," said Jeff Bower in his first draft as Hornets general manager. "We had them ranked back-to-back, and the scrutiny that went into placing one in front of the other was the most we had to put into a prospect decision in a long, long time. We really had a long process trying to put one of the two first. That's how even we felt they really were, and how comfortable we were with both of them."

New Jersey Nets President Rod Thorn announced today that the team has declined to exercise the option on forward Clifford Robinson for the 2006-07 season, and has waived forward Scott Padgett.

Robinson appeared in 80 games in 2005-06 for the Nets, averaging 6.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg. He posted 23 double figure scoring games and twice scored 20-plus points. The 17-year veteran has career averages of 14.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg in 1,330 games with five different teams.

Padgett, who signed as free agent with the Nets prior to the 2005-06 season, averaged 3.4 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 62 games last season. He totaled five games of 10-plus points and had a season-high 15 points, shooting 5-for-5 from three-point range, on 12/16/05 vs. Denver. In seven NBA seasons, Padgett has career averages of 4.4 ppg and 2.8 rpg in 417